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Falconry, Dead or Alive Again?

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LE

Having seen Falconry mentioned a few times recently, I thought that I would open up a dicussion along the lines of Deerstalking Types et al.

Falconry, The Sport of Kings, was a dying art 20 years ago. Now however, with the re-emergence of County/Country shows and the increasing use of raptors as a green method of pest control (particularly where pigeons are concerned) it seems to be making a come back.

LE

LE

my brother in uk is a big cheese in the falconry world and theres ,,lots of members in his group..hes always away at shows weekends. displays english heritage castles ect...its a bloody exspensive hobby though....
some birds cost thousands...

LE

Falconry has never, ever been more widely practised in the UK in history. And hawk- and falcon-keeping - never the same thing as falconry - ditto.

Since the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act obliged falconers and hawk-keepers to be registered with the government, it's now possible to quantify the numbers of practitioners. Currently c. 5,000.

British falconers pioneered new captive-breeding techniques for raptors in the 1960s-70s, thus ensuring no wild raptor species need ever become extinct. But, entirely predicably, the anti-fieldsports "birdie" people have never given the falconry community due credit for that amazing breakthrough.l

Very close links between SIS/SF/SAS/FCO and falconry. Glubb Pasha, TE Lawrence, Wilfred Thesiger, Order Wingate, Bill Slim, Jack Mavrogordato etc were all falconers in the Arab tradition, as are many serving and ex-members of SAS, Trucial Oman Scouts and such. A former 22SAS officer wrote a superb book on Falconry In Arabia, under the pen-name "Mark Allen".

Capt Robert Nairac GC - murdered by PIRA in NI - was a distinguished falconer.

LE

On ROPS

This is something I'd really quite like to get into (maybe when I move out of the city), had a mate at school who had a falcon, and I think if I was going to take up the sport I'd like a Merlin. I did some reading the other night and found out that they are not a beginners bird as they can be temperamental feeders, but I think that would be the way I'd go...

On ROPS

Had a look around to find a picture. If I was to buy one I'd want it to be as close to Black as I could find. Don't appear to be many pictures of the black ones on the web. Had a quick look at wiki and it says that the Black ones do exist is the US but the one's that are pictured (via google images) seem to be the pale 'great plain' variety...

War Hero

I've actually done falconry a couple of times mainly with harris hawks (Not exactly the falcon of kings but hey). It's a good walk out in the woods / fields but that's about it. As for being a good way of controling pests - not really efficient enough to be of any use. But like I say it's a good day out.

If you are inerested in getting a falcon of your own, I'd suggest going to an all day falcon experience and ask the questions as they are a time sink rather than money and most of the year you can't fly them depending on the breed.

On ROPS

I've actually done falconry a couple of times mainly with harris hawks (Not exactly the falcon of kings but hey). It's a good walk out in the woods / fields but that's about it. As for being a good way of controling pests - not really efficient enough to be of any use. But like I say it's a good day out.

If you are inerested in getting a falcon of your own, I'd suggest going to an all day falcon experience and ask the questions as they are a time sink rather than money and most of the year you can't fly them depending on the breed.

War Hero

If your insterested I can send you a link about the all day experience or if your near north wales drop me a PM might be able to make it cheaper as my mates always up for trying new people into the hobby. Personally I don't have the time or inclination but he loves it.

On ROPS

If your insterested I can send you a link about the all day experience or if your near north wales drop me a PM might be able to make it cheaper as my mates always up for trying new people into the hobby. Personally I don't have the time or inclination but he loves it.

Grew up near North Wales on the West Lancs coast. Beautiful part of the country, great memories from tromping through Snowdonia, to sitting beneath crashing waves on Mona, to hoildays in places prefixed Aber* (even a laugh in Rhyl on occasion ). Live in London currently so bit of a way to come and I have family, work, and studies, but any info on places closer to London would be great....